Went to a tasting in Los Angeles where the theme was California pinot, and each couple was charged with bringing two wines by the same winemaker. The wines were served in pairs, two pairs per flight, and the order randomly assigned as each couple arrived and pulled a number out of a hat. No preference, no bias. A great theme and methodology, btw, as it allowed a more indepth examination of each winery and allowed each to make more of an imprint.
Flight #1
2003 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Vista Verde Vineyard San Benito County
My pair was up first. Bright and youthful with intense cherry flavors and a cool brown sugar note. I didn't know which of my wines was which, and so was as shocked as everyone else when this bottle turned out to be the 11-year-older bottle. No sign of age. It was that youthful, that good, and handily won the flight. WOTN for me. Wish I had more.
2014 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
More red-fruited than the previous bottle we opened months ago, but still in the WS/RRV zone with solid fruit and spice.
2002 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces Sta. Rita Hills
Less successful than the resilient '03 it was paired with--tannins pretty much gone, decent acidity, and showing more extraction and charred barrel notes than I find pleasant.
2003 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces Sta. Rita Hills
Paired with an 02 in an all-pinot tasting and generally preferred by the group for better integrated flavors and dark, earthy fruit. Good showing.
Flight #2
2012 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Terra de Promissio Vineyard Sonoma Coast
The fleshiness of the '12 vintage, as least as it's showing now, prevented any identification of this and it's flight mate as being from the same stable as the other two WS's. Tasty but oaky and a bit fat. Needs more time.
2012 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Especially when compared to the same wine from vintage '14 in the prior flight, this '12 was also fat and oaky. Very similar in fact; I didn't automatically prefer or find more character in the single vineyard bottling.
2008 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Comptche Ridge Vineyard Mendocino County
Paired with an 08 Peters VY (Sonoma) in an all-Cal-pinot tasting, this gorgeous, crunchy yet rich pinot took the top spot in it's flight. Outstanding.
2008 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Peters Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Vibrant, lively, complicated and nicely seguing into middle age-ness without actually showing its age. Wish I owned this. Excellent.
Flight #3
2013 Wolff Vineyards Pinot Noir Dijon Clones Selection Edna Valley
This and the '10 below were the jammiest wines on the table. Not unpleasant but they lacked the presence (structure, acidity) in most of the other wines.
2010 Wolff Vineyards Pinot Noir Dijon Clones Selection Edna Valley
Not unpleasant but this lacks the structure for further cellaring; drink up. Incidentally, this pair was brought by the Burgundy lovers who puts down California pinot as "undrinkable". WTF?
2010 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Napa Valley
Paired with an '11 of the same wine, came in first in it's flight. Full-bodied and elegant, showing well now.
2013 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Napa Valley
Especially against the '10 above, a green note that otherwise would not have been as noticeable added interesting cut and complexity to this full-bodied pinot. Very attractive.